I’ve been testing the capabilities of the Nikon Coolpix P900. So far the pictures are not looking too bad. I’ve had to send the one back that I had to see if I can find a factory brand-new copy. Anyways, it’s an impressive little camera with a mini-16 megapixel sensor. Having the world record long reach that it possesses at 2,000mm, there is nothing else to compete with it on the market. I highly recommend it as a superzoom. Heres a couple more test shots:

two of three of these images were shot on the long end at 357mm (2,000mm 35mm-film equivalent) to show that it is plenty sharp long end. The camera only produces jpegs with no raw capability and with rumors successor to this camera that can zoom to 3,000mm – I’m kind of disappointed they haven’t come out with it yet, because I would probably spring for it instead. I think I’ll be sticking with the P900 just for the reach alone for a few years.

The shot below is of a hotel in #Holbrook, Arizona, where rooms are caricatured teepees that guests spend the night. This is an old hotel, run-down, and along old Route 66 in #Arizonaland.

I’ve often been asked; where is the best place to find Rural Decay in the American Southwest? My answer would most certainly be to go visit New Mexico. I dub the state, The Rural Decay Capital of the Southwest. Of course, my all-time favorite places to photograph with historical charm is along any stretch of #Route66. Most of the highway is gone now and wherever you can find a patch of it anywhere along the historical route you will certainly find old abandoned buildings, homes, gas stations, restaurants, automotive repair shops, etc. Whenever you can find any remaining stretches of the highway that are still in-tact, this is where you will locate hidden treasures along the roadside!

Route-66 was known as the Mother of All Highways, and the trail that inspired John Steinbeck’s masterpiece; the #GrapesofWrath. After all these years I have spent photographing it, there is strong spiritual and emotional attachment that I have developed to this beautiful highway. Many a time, I have stepped into the past and remembered these simpler times in American History and the charm of the 1950s.

The photograph above is of Route 66 as it snakes through the frying pan of the blistering #MojaveDesert just shy south of the tourist trap of #Oatman, #Arizona (where donkeys still roam the streets) which seems to have a long-held tradition of inviting tourists feed oats to the donkeys. It’s on the way to Lake Havasu! If you have never been, I highly recommend paying Oatman a visit! My grandparents once witnessed the unique views, the beautiful vistas, and these bygone little towns. It’s a beautiful experience, walking in their shoes, or should we say driving down their old road?

For veteran photographers like me, Talking Tree, we started out posting photographs through a photoblog between the years of 2004-2010 and then came Instagram. Since corporations have started clamping down on organic social reach – people like myself are returning back to our roots and this comes as GREAT NEWS!!!

Some of you caught hints of this already! – This is Brandon Stone’s official announcement:

I need your help. This is a big deal for me. It affects my livelihood and the decisions I’ll be making for my future. I rarely ask anyone for anything, but I am right now. If you have ever wanted to see photoblogs succeed, now is the time to help. I’m ready to build something cool and I’m looking for your support. I can’t do this without you.

We had such an amazing community of photobloggers back in the day and I would like to see if we can make something new that can at least capture some of what once was.

I have a lot of ideas for how to make independent photoblogging as easy and simple as Instagram and this is just the first step toward that greater goal.

Thanks to all of you for being my friends over the years. You are all such a great group of people. Here’s the fund drive link again. Any amount will help and if you could spread the word, that would definitely be appreciated. Thanks again!